'Aquaman' Early Reactions: 'Avatar' Meets Jupiter Ascending,' & Maybe DC's Best Superhero Film

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After months and months (actually years) of hype, it’s finally happening — Jason “My Man!” Momoa’s “Aquaman” film is right around the corner. And while we are still almost three weeks from the general public (that is, if WB doesn’t move up the release even more…) getting a chance to determine if Momoa’s superhero film will ultimately sink or swim, those lucky few that got to see the film early are beginning to talk about the latest installment in the DCEU. And to no one’s surprise, the general consensus seems to be that the film is pretty fun, entertaining, and in the minds of some, better than expected (reactions to the early trailers were iffy).

READ MORE: ‘Aquaman’ Ticket Presales Are Outpacing ‘Venom’ But It Doesn’t Mean A Damn Thing

We say that it’s no surprise because the first batch of folks in the film journalism community that are selected to view the film are from outlets that generally react favorably to superhero fare and perhaps more favorably than the average critic. So, when reading these blurbs, keep in mind that the ultimate word on the film is still yet to be determined.

That being said, things are looking up for “Aquaman.” Who would have thought that a film about a superhero who wears a bright yellow and green costume, talks to fish, and lives in the lost underwater civilization of Atlantis would actually be anything other than a disaster? But here we are. Director James Wan and stars Momoa and Amber Heard have turned in a film that apparently checks all the boxes for fans of superhero films.

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Do you want epic, stylish, fight scenes? “Aquaman” has those in spades (complete with plenty of underwater monsters). Always wanted to see a beautiful, long-haired, muscle-y man share quips with equally beautiful people underwater? Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II provide all the necessary eye candy you’ve been waiting for. One breathless take even describes the film as ” ‘Avatar’ meets ‘Jupiter Ascending,’ with hints of ‘The Lord Of The Rings,’ ‘Indiana Jones‘ and a triple AAA video game. There’s also an Octopus who plays the drums. I loved it.” Ok, then. Several other suggests the film is DC’s best film so far and yep, even better than “Wonder Woman.”

Ultimately, what you have with “Aquaman” is apparently exactly what you’d expect — a film that’s well-crafted, with stunning special effects and great underwater battles, a charismatic leading man that dives headfirst into his role (Momoa). That’s the early narrative, of course, it will be interesting to see how the movie fares with regular civilians not already in the water tank for superhero movies.

READ MORE: Box Office Forecasts Predict Franchise-Low Openings For ‘Aquaman’ & ‘Bumblebee’ As Both Debut December 21

“Aquaman” hits theaters on December 21 (unless you’re an Amazon Prime member, and you bought tickets for the special screenings starting December 15).